360c.1121 Galewska, Mina/10: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Poland ( Nielsen )

58, Your 82, August 29, 1 p.m.24

1. I am surprised at Embassy’s and Consulate General’s failure to ascertain immediately following Mrs. Galewska’s arrest the essential facts in her case …

2. If Galewska, as appears to be the case, was a through passenger who merely failed to declare, denied having, or concealed American money which was in her possession when she entered Poland and which was still in her possession when she sought to depart therefrom, please protest most vigorously and at once to a responsible official of the Foreign Office along the following lines: Point out the facts mentioned above, state that your government objects to the unreasonable punishment and harsh treatment accorded an American citizen in this case which at most involves a minor technical infraction of the Polish law. (It is obvious in the circumstances that no intent to defraud the Polish state of money existed and that no damage could have resulted to the Polish state had she actually taken the money out of Poland.) You should say most emphatically that your Government is at a loss to understand the failure of the Polish authorities to furnish, in compliance with the requests of the Consulate General of July 30 and August 4, an official transcript of the charges and to furnish, in compliance with your request of August 19, a copy of the verdict, and add that your Government hopes there will be no further delay in furnishing copies of all pertinent court records. Finally, you should press for an immediate satisfactory settlement of this case, which should include the return of money, bail, passport and other property, if any, involved and permission to depart from Poland.

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4. I assume this case was brought to the personal attention of the Minister for Foreign Affairs in your conversation of August 29, as directed in the Department’s 51, August 26, 5 p.m.

5. Embassy and Consulate General should endeavor to draw a distinction between cases of this type involving minor technical infractions of the regulations, even though deliberate, and those involving smuggling in the generally accepted sense.

Hull
  1. Not printed.